A bout of volatility witnessed after a sharp surge took the barometer index the S&P BSE Sensex, above the psychological 27,000 level in early trade. The Sensex was currently trading below that level. The Sensex and the 50-unit CNX Nifty were, both, currently trading with gains of more than 1% each. The broad market showed strength. There were more than four gainers against every loser on BSE. The Sensex was currently up 362.47 points or 1.36% at 26,961.58. The BSE Mid-Cap index was up 1.59%. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 1.75%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.
The market sentiment was boosted by the government yesterday, 7 May 2015, announcing the setting up a committee to suggest ways to resolve the minimum alternative tax (MAT) dispute with foreign investors as well as some other tax issues. Firmness in Asian stocks, decline in crude oil prices and rupee's recovery against the dollar after a recent steep slide also helped boost sentiment on the domestic bourses.
Realty stocks gained. Capital goods stocks also gained.
In overseas markets, Asian stocks edged higher on signs global bond markets are stabilising after a big selloff. US stocks rose yesterday, 7 May 2015, a day after they fell in the wake of the Federal Reserve chief's warning over high equity valuations.
Foreign portfolio investors sold shares worth a net Rs 1360.69 crore yesterday, 7 May 2015, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 1158.02 crore yesterday, 7 May 2015, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges.
At 10:17 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 362.47 points or 1.36% at 26,961.58. The index surged 403.59 points at the day's high of 27,002.70 in early trade, its highest level since 6 May 2015. The index rose 215.27 points at the day's low of 26,814.38 in early trade.
The Nifty was up 103.30 points or 1.28% at 8,160.60. The index hit a high of 8,175.50 in intraday trade, its highest level since 6 May 2015. The index hit a low of 8,123.45 in intraday trade.
The BSE Mid-Cap index was up 160.21 points or 1.59% at 10,225.77. The BSE Small-Cap index was up 186.77 points or 1.75% at 10,834.76. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex.
The market breadth indicating the overall health of the market was quite strong, with more than four gainers against every loser on BSE. 1,471 shares rose and 333 shares fell. A total of 50 shares were unchanged.
Bharti Airtel gained 1.22%. With respect to news titled "Bharti may raise $2 bn to expand 4G services, Bharti Airtel clarified during market hours that the company has not entered into any agreement in this regard and has not released any specific information pertaining to the news report.
Realty stocks gained. Sobha (up 3.33%), Indiabulls Real Estate (up 2.18%), Unitech (up 3.69%), Housing Development & Infrastructure (HDIL) (up 3.3%), Oberoi Realty (up 3.71%), DLF (up 1.75%), Godrej Properties (up 1.67%), Phoenix Mills (up 0.49%), and Anant Raj (up 1.67%) edged higher.
Capital goods stocks also edged higher. Havells India (up 0.96%), Bharat Heavy Electricals (Bhel) (up 1.71%), Siemens (up 2.63%), Bharat Electronics (up 2.57%), Crompton Greaves (up 1.58%), L&T (up 1.7%), Thermax (up 1.39%) and BEML (up 1.8%) gained.
Brent crude oil futures extended previous session's sharp decline. Brent for June settlement was down 16 cents at $65.38 a barrel. The contract had fallen $2.23 a barrel, or 3.29% to settle at $65.54 a barrel during the previous trading session.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley yesterday, 7 May 2015, announced the setting of a committee to suggest ways to resolve the minimum alternative tax (MAT) dispute with foreign investors as well as some other tax issues. While replying to the debate on Finance Bill 2015 in the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley announced the setting up of a committee to be headed by Law Commission chairman A.P. Shah. While reiterating the government's earlier position that it would wait for a final word on the matter from the Supreme Court, Jaitley said the government would consider the recommendation of the committee and take an appropriate decision as soon as possible. The committee is requested to give its recommendations on the specific issue of MAT on foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) expeditiously, Jaitley said. The Rajya Sabha subsequently passed the Finance Bill.
Jaitley assured that on taxation, the government was committed to certainty and to providing an enabling environment to both domestic and foreign investors while avoiding any retrospective levies. The finance minister said he had provided relief from MAT to FPIs with prospective effect, starting this financial year. He added that in view of a ruling given by the Authority of Advance Rulings in 2012, it was not possible to provide any retrospective exemption.
Jaitley had, last week, moved amendments to exempt foreign investors' capital gains from the sale of securities, interest income, royalty and fees for technical services from MAT, in cases where the tax rate was less than 18.5%, a move which is expected to benefit private equity, venture capital investors and debt funds. In his budget speech on 28 February 2015, he had exempted capital gains accruing to FPIs from levy of MAT. But these provisions would only be applicable from 1 April, leaving past transactions open to litigation.
So far, most of the tax demand directing payment of MAT by FPIs has been only for the financial year ending 31 March 2012. But Indian law allows taxes to be recovered on income earned up to seven years earlier, so FPIs are concerned that they could face additional tax bills.
Meanwhile, the government yesterday, 7 May 2015, announced extension of Budget session of Lok Sabha by three more days till 13 May 2015. The government is particularly keen to introduce the land acquisition bill in the Lok Sabha, according to reports. The amended Land Acquisition Bill seeks to scrap the consent clause for acquiring land for five sectors industrial corridors, public private partnership projects, rural infrastructure, affordable housing and defence. The bill also exempts projects in these five areas from social impact assessments and allows the purchase of irrigated multi-cropped land and other types of agricultural land.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen if the government is able to get the Constitution Amendment Bill in respect of goods and services tax (GST) passed in the Rajya Sabha. While the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance found it easy to pass the GST bill in the Lok Sabha where it is in a majority, the real test will come in the Rajya Sabha where the ruling alliance is in a minority, with 62 members in a 245-member house. The bill is expected to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha next week.
Being a constitutional amendment bill, the GST bill needs to be approved by a two-thirds majority in both houses of Parliament and ratified by half the state legislative assemblies before coming into effect. GST, touted as the single biggest indirect taxation reforms since independence, will simplify and harmonise the indirect tax regime in the country. Central taxes like Central Excise Duty, Additional Excise Duties, Service Tax, Additional Customs Duty (CVD) and Special Additional Duty of Customs (SAD), etc. will be subsumed in GST. At the state level, taxes like VAT/Sales Tax, Central Sales Tax, Entertainment Tax, Octroi and Entry Tax, Purchase Tax and Luxury Tax, etc. would be subsumed in GST.
In overseas markets, Asian stocks edged higher today, 8 May 2015, on signs global bond markets are stabilising after a big selloff. Key indices in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Japan rose by 0.18% to 1.26%. South Korea's Kospi fell 0.01%.
China's exports unexpectedly fell 6.4% in April from a year earlier, while imports tumbled by a deeper-than-forecast 16.2%, fueling expectations that Beijing will quickly roll out more stimulus to avert a sharper economic slowdown. That left the country with a trade surplus of $34.13 billion for the month, the General Administration of Customs said today, 8 May 2015.
US stocks rose yesterday, 7 May 2015, a day after they fell in the wake of the Federal Reserve chief's warning over high equity valuations. Economic news yesterday, 7 May 2015 showed jobless claims rose by 3,000 to 265,000 in the week ended May 2, the Labor Department said.
The US government will unveil US nonfarm payrolls data for April 2015 today, 8 May 2015. The payroll data may give clues to the likely timing of an anticipated rate increase by the US Federal Reserve.
In Europe, Greece defied its international creditors yesterday, 7 May 2015, refusing to cut pensions or reverse re-hiring some public employees to meet their demands, dimming prospects of progress next week towards securing financial aid.
In UK, exit polls for Parliamentary elections held yesterday, 7 May 2015, gave the Conservatives 316 of 650 seats in the lower house of parliament, still short of a majority but far better than expected.
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